Sunday, October 9th- Ordinary Time

"Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”

When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.

One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.  He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.

Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” -Luke 17:11-19

My Dear Little Ones,

I'm not sure where we'll land, but if for some reason we end up calling America home again, please don't forget that, at least for a time, you, too, were foreigners.  Your mother and father struggled to understand and to be understood, and were largely reliant on the kindness of strangers who could have just as easily turned their backs on the strange, squawking Americans who mixed up "two" and "twelve" when ordering (we had some very strange encounters at the bakery back in the day).

I remind you of this because there are so many stories in the Bible that include foreigners and outsiders, and I don't want you to think for a second that that only means other people.  We, too, have been among strangers in a strange land.  

And Josephine, my darling, while we were still sojourners, you were very sick.

When you needed healing, we called out, and help came.  Dr. Bourgeois answered.  Jesus said to the lepers, "Show yourselves to the priest."  Dr. B said "Show yourselves to Dr. Saint-Rose," the neurosurgeon who performed your hemispherectomy.  Then she said "Show yourself to Dr. Rambeau," your doctor at the Centre.  Dr. Rambeau said "Show yourself to Benedicte, and Violette, and Juliet, and Anne-Cecile, and Marie-Helene," your wonderful therapists who have loved you and worked to heal you since you were a little baby.  

And we show you and your brother at the church.  We show you to the community that has grown to love you and pray for you and care for your well-being.

And darlings, we will always come back, after every intervention, every bit of grace comes our way, praising God and giving thanks.  Because healing isn't always a straight line forward.  Sometimes, it's a circle, and faith, that string that ties us to God, can be what pulls us back around again to where we started.  We have to remember to always make time for gratitude, even if it means doubling back.  It's always worth the deviation to stop and give thanks to those who stand by you in your hours of need.

Love,
Mama